⌁⚣⌁
times like this was when taehyung really questioned whether everything had a purpose or not.
and by times, well.. they're not necessarily times that anyone would really be proud of.
"the hell?" some random guy snapped when taehyung carelessly pushed past him as he walked throughout the partying crowd.
taehyung had one look on his face and one motive in his head. and when his eyes landed on his dancing girlfriend, who didn't have a care in the world, he stood frozen in front of her. she grabbed his hand, trying to bring him in closer to dance against him but he instantly snatched it away, making her smile drop.
"and what the hell is wrong with you?" jiwoo blurted out over the blaring music, hand falling at her hip.
"you have my car keys, don't you?" taehyung ignored her question.
jiwoo's brows arched high. "yes, why? are you gonna like leave or something?"
"where are they?" taehyung kept ignoring her questions.
"are you serious? what the hell do you need them for?" jiwoo argued back, stern look on her flawless face.
"why the fuck does it matter? give me my keys," taehyung snapped this time.
"who the actual fuck do you think you're talking to like that? you know what—" jiwoo dug into her small purse and threw the car keys at taehyung, hitting him on the chest. "get the fuck out of here for all i care!" she shouted before whipping around, cursing under her breath as she walked away from him.
and just like that, taehyung was off, no longer caring about any kind of consequences. it didn't take him long to drive out of there and straight to a nearby liquor store, using his fake id in order to purchase a whole pack of beer.
he didn't know where to drive to, he kinda didn't have anywhere to go really and it was all starting to hit him as he was speeding through the empty roads. he didn't really have anyone.
anyone other than jungkook.
taehyung wasted no time in grabbing a beer from the pack, popping it open and chugging it down as he kept a steady hand on the wheel. he knew this wasn't a good idea but he really couldn't take the thoughts anymore, he just needed to forget.. just for a second.
he found himself driving through familiar directions until they led up to a specific gravel path. the deeper in he followed, the more the view of glistening water under the moon peaked through the trees from afar.
he parked his car at just the end of the path and grabbed the pack of beers before hopping out and mindlessly stumbling towards the field. he ultimately stopped when he reached a certain spot, plopping down onto the ground. he undid his tie, letting his hang lazily around his neck before grabbing another beer and instantly chugging it down.
despite his vision becoming hazy now, he could still make out the beautiful view of the lake in front of him. the moonlight's reflection shined so bright over the wavering lake and it looked just how it did the night that taehyung laid on the same spot, making love with jungkook.
that's what it was. that's what felt so different that night. it really wasn't just a casual hook-up anymore.. it felt so much stronger than that and it drove taehyung insane trying to figure that out in the last few days.. and it took everything.
it took everything for it to come into the light.. but it also took just minutes for everything to come crashing down on him.
he threw himself back, laying flat on the grass as he closed his eyes shut, drunken tears streaming down his face. it was all becoming too much too quickly and his inebriated state didn't help whatsoever.
he instantly broke down crying, wiping endlessly at his eyes as he heaved up and down, trying his hardest to stop but ultimately failing. he cried and cried on the empty field, wishing for the warmth of someone who would probably never give it back to him again. deservingly so, taehyung knew he was guilty, he knew it wasn't okay what he had done back at the school and that's what killed him.
he did always swear to defend and protect him ten years ago.. just to become the one who hurt him the most.
dazed and distraught, taehyung laid on the ground with his mind full of everything, his eyes falling shut once again as he drowned in his own thoughts, hoping he wouldn't wake up for another day.
"kid c'mon, wake up.. you're trespassing on private property. if you do not wake up in the next 30 seconds, we will have no choice but to arrest you."
at this, the now disheveled boy's eyes slowly fluttered open. it was hard to see what he was looking at due to the bright sun shining down directly at his face but when his eyes finally focused in, they instantly widened.
a pair of police officers looking down at him, one now reaching a hand out to help taehyung up, to which he hesitantly took. it was morning now, way past the time that he ended up passing out. usually taehyung probably would've really freaked out waking up to some cops threatening to arrest him but with the night he had.. it really couldn't get worse from here.
the officers both helped the boy brush all the grass off of his expensive suit that he still wore before one of them looked off to the side where the empty bottles of beer all scattered around the field. he then looked back at taehyung, tilting his head, now waiting for an explanation.
taehyung lazily shrugged. "bad prom night."
"i might as well just kill myself now," taehyung mumbled under his breath as he pulled up into the driveway of his house.
standing right at the door, his father stood there, arms crossed and brows furrowed at the sight of his son arriving home after disappearing all night.. with a police car driving right behind him on top of that.
with a long sigh, taehyung stepped out, mentally preparing himself for the yelling he was probably about to receive. he hung his head low as he made his way up the steps, his father watching his every move.
"not a word, just head inside," his father muttered without sparing another glance at his son.
taehyung did as told, leaving his father to talk to the police officers that now stepped out of their own car. he plopped down on the sofa in the living room, right across from the door. he watched them talk for a few minutes through the door screen before they finally parted and his father entered the house, slamming the door shut behind him.
"what the hell were you doing out the entire night?" his father began, stern tone as always. "you had your mother worried sick that something happened to your ass and by god, now you're gonna wish that something did.. do you think everything is some kind of game—
"man whatever.. ground me, take my car, my allowance, my phone, i don't care anymore," taehyung cut him off, shaking his head.
"who the hell do you think you are interrupting me?!" his father shouted this time. "oh i'll take everything alright.. do you think you're all big and bad now that the cops brought you back home? don't try me taehyung, you're just as pathetic as you always have been, get your ass up."
taehyung scoffed, "or what?" he stood up from his seat, challenging his father with a cold glare, the same one he was always threatened with. "are you gonna hit me? are you gonna hit me just like you always did?"
"watch your goddamn tone taehyung, i am your father and you will not speak to me like this!"
"like what?! like how you always speak to me?!" taehyung yelled back, his now red face heating up with anger, no longer taking it.
"what's going on?" a voice suddenly came in, to which the two looked back at. it was taehyung's eldest sister, youngmi, concerned look painted across her face but she also couldn't help but sigh of relief upon seeing her brother safe and sound.
"go back upstairs youngmi," their father simply said before turning back to his son. "you really do think you're all big and bad now.. where was all of this when you cowered under me every time?" he practically spat.
"i don't care anymore, i couldn't give two shits what you do to me anymore," taehyung spat back, not aware of how reckless he was talking.
and right at that, taehyung was suddenly knocked back when his father threw a fist at his jaw. due to still feeling woozy from the night before, taehyung fell to the floor, instantly reaching up to feel his busted lip that began to trickle with blood.
"keep your goddamn mouth shut taehyung," his father gritted before finally stepping away from him. "go to your damn room and stay there, i don't wanna see your pathetic face for the whole of next week."
"yeah, hit me just like always." taehyung snickered weakly, wiping at the corner of his mouth, tasting his own blood. "that's all you know how to do.. you're the pathetic one! you always have been!" taehyung shouted once again, his voice strained now.
"taehyung please, just stop, no more provoking," youngmi begged, tears threatening to fill her eyes as she rushed to her brother.
taehyung then sat still as his sister took care of him, going back and forth from the bathroom to clean and disinfect his cut. she was a nurse and also happened to always be the one to take care of taehyung when he was younger during similar moments so this wasn't new to her.
"what's gotten into you? you never speak to dad like that," youngmi asked as she finished patting a gauze over taehyung's lip. "and where were you last night? we were all so worried about you.. i thought something terrible might've happened to you after prom."
taehyung could only shrug, "don't worry about it."
"don't worry?" youngmi scoffed. "you're my little brother, i will always worry.. and you seem really off." she examined his face, brows furrowed in a concerned manner.
"i'll be fine." taehyung moved away from his sister, "thank you for taking care of me."
youngmi opened her mouth, hesitating on just letting him go but it was too late. taehyung stood up and was already making his way upstairs to his bedroom, where he would do nothing but lay in his bed and ponder, completely restless.
—
*knock knock*
"i told you i'm fine mom.. i promise, i'll have breakfast in just a little," jungkook called out from his bed.
"it's not your mom.. it's me kookie!" a familiar voice said behind the door of jungkook's bedroom, it was none other than hoseok.
"oh and me!" another voice said, obviously being jimin.
it was the day after prom. a lot of kids had probably arrived to their homes tired from dancing and partying all night, some even drunk or high, one of them.. but that certainly wasn't the case for everyone.
some left prom early, due to boredom or not having a good night. jungkook was one of them.. and because of the latter. the official prom king for crying out loud, going home heartbroken.. it was straight out of a movie.
and now he laid in bed, his dog, sailor right beside him, as if offering him emotional support as he gently pat over her soft fur.
the door then cracked open, hoseok peeking through before he finally swung it open. the couple walked in, practically tiptoeing with gentle and comforting grins. "hey kookie," jimin softly said as the two took a seat on the younger's bed.
hoseok didn't waste a second and wrapped his arms around jungkook, embracing him so tightly and the younger squeaked, clearly caught by surprise.
"hyung, why are you hugging me?"
"shh kookie, you don't need to say anything~" hoseok lulled, patting the younger's back.
"yeah, don't worry kookie, we're here for you always.. which is why you should've looked for us as soon as you wanted to leave prom, we really missed you there," jimin added, patting the younger's back along with his boyfriend.
"guys i'm genuinely really confused right now," jungkook let out, trying to pull away from hoseok but the older's grip wouldn't allow it.
"me too, i can't believe lucas could just ditch you and try to stay friends with you.. and on prom night too, shame on him!" hoseok practically shouted.
"and then your mom told us you had came home really sad, we didn't know it was that bad, what happened kookie?" jimin softly asked.
"what?!" jungkook pulled away this time, looking more confused than ever, which now confused the couple. "hobi, i told you, we both decided to stay friends.. he didn't ditch me and i didn't leave because of that."
hoseok's consoling face dropped. "what? but you left so abruptly and you seemed really down when you told me.."
jungkook shook his head, fluffy bedhead staying stiff as he did. "that isn't why i left prom."
the two suddenly became really curious, their wide eyes failing to hide it. jimin coughed awkwardly, "so that's not why you seem sad right now either?"
jungkook pursed his lips, hesitant on whether to open up to the two closest to him after having everything bottled up for so long. "well no, it's something a lot more complex."
jimin then reached his hand out to the younger's, gently holding it in his as his eyes softened. "you can tell us kookie.. it seems like this is really important."
hoseok's face grew with concern as well, "yeah, you can tell us kooks.. did something happen to you?"
jungkook quickly shook his head again. "don't worry guys, it's not anything terribly serious.. it's just.. i—"
the two waited patiently and jungkook's eyes suddenly stung with tears, making his friends instantly pull him into a hug (to which sailor also joined in). the younger broke down in tears once again, his puffy eyes aching from all the crying he had done the night before as well but he couldn't help how vulnerable he was feeling.
after his crying had calmed down, he slowly pulled away from his friends and looked at them sadly, rubbing his pink nose as he sniffled.
"okay promise you won't freak out or tell anyone?"
the two nodded simultaneously.
"i've had some kind of weird fling going on with taehyung for the last few months and we had a huge argument last night at prom because i indirectly mentioned it to lucas when we decided to stay friends and well.. it was just really bad and we— i basically called it quits and i basically confessed that i've been in love with him and he's just a terrible person honestly, i'm tired of always being a secret and i hate him so bad because i still can't help but feel so much love for him and-and—
"woah woah slow down kooks," hoseok quickly cut the blabbering boy off whilst rubbing his shoulder soothingly.
meanwhile jimin's jaw was hung open, nothing but shock on his usually bubbly face.
"i honestly can't say i'm surprised because i did sense something odd going on between the two of you but a fling?!" hoseok exclaimed.
"what?! you sensed something?"
"duh, you two always disappeared together during lunch and parties. i was scared that maybe you were turning into a pothead with him or something.." hoseok explained as if it was nothing.
"wait— if this has been going on for a few months, does this mean that you and taehyung have both been cheating on your girlfriends with each other?" jimin chimed in.
jungkook cowered down at the question, suddenly feeling so ashamed before nodding.
"so you were getting piped down while rina was blowing up your phone?" hoseok awed.
"yes— wait- why are you assuming that i was the one getting—
"kooks cmon, let's all be a little realistic here."
"wait so you two weren't just a fling, you hooked up too?!" jimin was really shocked now.
"and taehyung is gay? that's the real question here guys.. like taehyung taehyung.." hoseok trailed off in thought. "also how did you get home last night since you didn't mention any of this to us?"
jungkook grinned upon remembering the events after the huge argument. "rina actually gave me a ride."
"RINA?!" the two suddenly shouted.
"yes guys, there's a lot to it but i'll definitely get around to all of it with you, just please don't tell anyone," jungkook explained.
"your secret is safe with us kookie," jimin immediately swore and then gave the younger a solemn look. "and i'm really sorry you had such a bad night bunny."
"man screw taehyung!" hoseok got up, making them all perk up, including sailor. "you know, there's gonna be an after-prom-party tonight at jackson's~" the older sung in a mischievous tone.
"which means?" jungkook followed along.
"which means we can forget about that prick and party!" hoseok suggested with a wide grin. "hey and you can even give your boy-toy 'friend' another shot tonight too." he winked.
"another party? god i don't know, i still feel terrible." jungkook frowned.
jimin hummed, "hobi's got a point kookie, we can have a good time tonight, just us three—and don't worry, you're not gonna be cockblocking like you always think you are.. we love hanging out with you!"
"cmon kooks! you've moped enough, we can't let you fall into a funk because of a guy~" hoseok playfully shook the younger by his shoulders.
jungkook sighed, finally giving in, "i guess we can go for a little.."
the couple instantly shot up and jumped on the bed with the younger, all of them giggling up a storm. meanwhile sailor barked at the commotion and then jumped off.
"now let's go shopping for a new outfit for you!"
—
somewhat of a filler chapter! next one will have lots to read about :)